The Minister Mr. Dick Roche asks farmers to live
lightly on the earth. Perhaps the farmers should ask the Minister
to do the same with regard to commercially burning our waste in incinerators,
and thereby poisoning our land and losing our reputation for producing
clean, fresh and healthy food.

There is an ethical concern which involves leaving
a toxic legacy to future generations. Can we ask this Minister, and
Bertie Ahern, does this generation have the right to hasten climate
change and leave a toxic legacy to the next generation while we burn
or use up resources that are finite. Future generations have the right
to inherit an Ireland as fertile, beautiful, healthy and productive
as the Ireland this generation inhabits.

The alternative to incineration is waste prevention
which will also benefit producers of products, because of the savings
achieved in terms of the cost of raw materials, energy and disposal
charges.

We must be concerned about poisoning land, and
hold onto our number one place in Europe for the lowest dioxins in
Europe, ensuring Ireland has the competitive edge.